David Wilson's bad news hit home for Giants

Not because the Giants' quarterback has a brother, Cooper, whose football career ended due to a similar neck condition, but because of the notion that Manning has tried to put himself in Wilson's shoes and can't imagine dealing with what has become his reality.

"To be told that you can probably not play football anymore is tough. He's young and talented and you hate for anyone to hear those words," Manning said Tuesday, a day after Wilson heeded the evaluation of doctors, who advised him to no longer play football because of physical risks involving his surgically repaired neck and spinal stenosis. "So I feel for him in that aspect. … If I were told in my third year that, 'Hey, you should not play football anymore' for a health reason, that'd be a tough thing to swallow. I think it hits home whether you have brothers [who have dealt with serious injuries that threatened their playing status] or not. It hits home for every football player."

Wilson issued several quotes in a statement released by the team Monday, but he did not meet with reporters in person Tuesday. He will likely do so at some point this week. But to the team that he now leaves behind, at least as an active member of its roster, news of Wilson's decision and the likely retirement of a 23-year-old former first-round draft pick left the Giants to deal with the ramifications of his absence on and off the field.

"David was a really dynamic running back. He's got a special ability in being able to start and stop and move at such a high speed. He's going to be missed," rookie running back Andre Williams said. "In terms of his personality, he always had a smile on his face and upbeat. People feed off of that. We're going to miss his energy."

Added veteran running back Peyton Hillis: "I can't even fathom it."

Coach Tom Coughlin started off the team meeting Tuesday morning talking about Wilson and how he was embracing the "Once a Giant, always a Giant" mantra with a smile.

"I relayed to them what I told [the media on a Monday conference call], about how he came into my office, his attitude, the way he was going to approach this," Coughlin said. "The fact that he didn't want pity, he didn't want anybody feeling sorry for him. I thought that was a key, the way he left the office, talking about 'once a Giant, always a Giant' [and] it really did help me.

"David Wilson walked into my office and helped me understand and accept the fact that he was not going to be able to play anymore. I tried to relay all of that to our team."

Linebacker Jameel McClain discussed his emotions having overcome his own case of stenosis and a bruised spinal cord in December 2012 as a member of the Ravens and his subsequent return to the field. The circumstances led to speculation about his future in the NFL, but now he is a starter for the Giants and a team leader. Cooper Manning underwent surgery and endured a difficult rehabilitation before he could live a normal life, having stopped playing football as a freshman in college. Peyton Manning had four neck surgeries and missed the entire 2011 season.

Asked if hearing about Wilson brought flashbacks of what Cooper and Peyton went through, Eli Manning said: "No, I just feel for David."

BRIEFS: Rookie WR Odell Beckham Jr. is "making progress," Coughlin said, but he did not practice Tuesday. … The Giants will practice tonight from 5:40-7:50 and it is open to the public.